Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has hailed the Union Cabinet's decision to confer ownership rights to 40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies in the national capital.
"This was an old demand of the people of Delhi. We welcome this decision. I would like to thank the Central government on behalf of the people of Delhi," said Kejriwal while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.
"The people of Delhi have struggled for it. We had also written to the Centre and communicated several times in the past," said he.
Earlier, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri told media persons that the Union Cabinet has decided to confer ownership rights to 40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies in the city-state.
This decision, which was taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "will enable the inhabitants to build, sell and conduct all transactions related to their property."
"The population in unauthorised colonies in Delhi is close to 40 lakh. A committee was formed after a decision by the Delhi High Court to work on these unauthorised colonies. The Delhi government was asking for two more years to work on these colonies," he added.
"Taking into account that most of these inhabitants belong to the lower-income group, these rights will be confirmed on the payment of nominal rates. If the plot size is less than 100 square metres, then the rate charged will be 0.5 per cent of the circle rate," he said.
"If the plot size is 100-250 square metres, the rate charged will be one per cent of the circle rate. Finally, if the plot size is more than 250 square metres, the rate charged will be 2.5 per cent of the circle rate," he added.
Puri said that in 1947, Delhi had a population of 8 lakh while today the population of Delhi NCR is more than 2 crore. He added that from time to time, there has been a demand to regularise the areas, which as a result of robust urbsation, developed as unauthorised colonies.
"The last attempt was made in 2008. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) drew up some regulations with the approval of the Union Cabinet. In 2019, the Delhi government has engaged in regularising the colonies or ameliorating the living conditions in these colonies," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )